Improvement in odometers



2 SheetsSheet 1.

L.- G. PERKINS.

Odometer.

Patented April 30, 1878.

INVENTOE WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

mpzrans, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. G. PERKINS.

Odometer.

I No.203,070. Patented April 30, 1878. I

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS PHOTOLJTHOGRAPHER WASH a TON o c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN (l. PERKINS, OF WEBSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN O DOMETERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,070, dated April 30, 1878; application filed March 15, 1878.

a detail View of the cam for operating the odometer.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of myimprovement is to provide an odometer which may be readily attached to any carriage, and will accurately indlcate the distance traveled by the carriage.

Referring to the drawing, A is a carriageaxle, and B is one of the carriage-wheels that revolves on the axle A.

A casing, (l, is secured to the axle A by a clip, and contains a train of gearing consisting of a worm, a, on the spindle b, which is journaled 1n the casing (J, parallel with the carriage-axle A, the worm-wheel c, which is secured to the transverse arbor cl, and a worm, e, secured to said arbor and meshing into the worm-wheel f on the index-spindle g. The index-spindle g carries a worm, k, that engages a worm-wheel, i, on the arbor j.

The casin g G has in its upper side a recessed dial, It, which is covered bya glass, 1, and the glass 1s protected by an iron cover, m, which is pivoted to casing O. The index-spindle g extends through the dial k, and is provided with an index, 02.

Upon the arbor j there is a wheel, 0, whose periphery projects through an aperture in the dial, and is divided into equal spaces and numbered.

The spindle 1) projects through the side of the casing G into a sleeve, D, and is provided with an internal ratchet-wheel, p, which is engaged by a pawl carried by a rock-shaft, g, which is journaled in the sleeve, and also in the end of the spindle b, which is drilled axially Ito receive it. A ratchet-wheel, r, is placed on the spindle b inside of the casing O,

and is engaged by a spring-pawl, s, which projects from a recess in the side of the casing.

Upon the outer end of the rock-shaft q there is a rocker-arm, 6, having a pin, a, that is engaged by an eccentric-slot, v, in the cam E, which is secured to the inner end of the hub 20 of the carriage-wheel B.

In the larger side of the cam there is a recess, a, for containing oil. The said recess is closed by a cap, I), which is held in place by a screw, 0, which also assists in holding the cam on the hub. The recess a contains cotton waste or wicking.

As the carriage-wheel rotates on its axle, the cam E oscillates, the rock-shaft q is oscillated by the action of the cam E, and the internal ratchet p is moved one notch for every revolution of the wheel. The spindle l) is prevented from retrograde motion by the engagement of the pawl s with the ratchet 1-.

The gearing is arranged to indicate on the dial is the number of revolutions of the carriage-wheel, or it may be arranged to show the number of miles traveled by the carriage. The Wheel indicates the number of revolutions of the index n or the total number of miles traveled. The cover on is sealed when the carriage starts out, and remains so until it returns. If the seal should be broken it would indicate that the odometer had been tampered with. t

The odometer is principally intended for the use of liveries, where it is desirable to know the exact distance traveled by a horse during its absence from the stable.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, in an odometer, of the cam E, having the eccentric-slot v, the rockshaft q, having the rock-arm t, the spindle b, having the ratchet p, and the index-spindle g, and gearing intermediate between the indexspindle and the spindle 12, substantially as herein shown and described.

LYMAN O. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. HAVEN, J. CLINTON NronoLs. 

